This stunning lemon sponge might just win the award for the most beautiful cake in the book. And let me tell you, it absolutely shines in the flavour department as well. Using butter and oil means this sponge is delightfully soft and will stay that way for days.
The centre of the cake is filled with both rich blackberry jam and a luxurious lemon buttercream using a stunning bullseye pattern. It ensures there’s a bit of lemon and blackberry in every bite. I’ve then covered the entire cake in a simple blackberry buttercream with more jammy swirls on top. This one may just earn you star baker, don’t you think?
PREP TIME 1 hour and 15 minutes | BAKE TIME 40 minutes + 30 minutes chilling | SERVES 12–14
- 175 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, roughly chopped
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) mild olive oil or flavourless oil
- 250 g (1 1/4 cups) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 240 ml (1 cup) full-fat milk, room temperature
- 315 g (2 1/4 cups) plain flour or all-purpose flour
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice (approximately 2 lemons)
Lemon buttercream
- 230 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 375 g (3 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- 45 ml (3 tablespoons) full-fat milk, room temperature
Blackberry buttercream
- 325 g (1 1/4 cups) blackberry jam or preserve
- 115 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 190 g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) full-fat milk, room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- purple gel food colouring, optional
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160C (320F) fan-forced. Grease and line the bottoms and sides of two 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tins with baking paper or parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, oil and caster sugar. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat briefly until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating briefly after each addition.
4. Add the baking powder, salt, milk and half of the flour. Beat on low speed until smooth and creamy.
5. Add the remaining flour and the lemon juice. Beat on low speed until you have a light and creamy cake batter.
6. Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared tins and gently smooth the tops.
7. Bake the cakes for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
8. Leave the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Make the lemon buttercream. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy.
10. Add half of the icing sugar and the lemon zest and milk and beat until smooth.
11. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat the buttercream on medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth and creamy. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, approximately 1.5 cm (3/4 inch) in diameter, and set aside.
12. Make the blackberry buttercream. In a small bowl, set aside 130 g (1/2 cup) of blackberry jam for the bullseye. In a medium bowl, push the remaining blackberry jam through a sieve to get rid of the seeds. Discard the seeds and set the seedless jam aside.
13. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy.
14. Add half of the icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk and beat until smooth.
15. Add the remaining icing sugar and 3 tablespoons of the seedless jam and beat the buttercream on medium speed for 30 seconds until thick and creamy. Add the salt and, if desired, add a few drops of purple food colouring for a stronger purple colour. Beat again to combine. (If the buttercream is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon more of milk and briefly beat again.)
16. Transfer the blackberry buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, approximately 1.5 cm (3/4 inch) in diameter, and set aside.
17. Put the 130 g (1/2 cup) of blackberry jam reserved for the bullseye in a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, approximately 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) in diameter.
18. Assemble the cake. Place one cake onto a serving plate or cake stand. Pipe a circle of lemon buttercream around the edge of the first cake. Now pipe a circle of jam just inside the buttercream circle. Repeat this pattern, alternating between the lemon buttercream and jam until you reach the middle of the cake, finishing with the jam – it will look like a bullseye.
19. Place the remaining cake on top. Use the remaining lemon buttercream to cover the entire cake with a thin layer of lemon buttercream.
20. Place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the buttercream set.
21. Pipe the remaining blackberry buttercream on the top and side of the cake and use an off-set spatula to apply it evenly.
22. Finally, dollop any remaining seedless jam on the top of the cake. Then use the back of a spoon to gently swirl it into the buttercream.
NOTES
• If you don’t have a piping bag and tip, you can use a ziplock bag and snip off the corner.
• Once frosted, store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove the cake from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving to allow it to come to room temperature.